The ATA Carnet ("ATA" stands for the combined French and English words "Admission Temporaire-Temporary Admission") is an international Customs document that a traveler may use temporarily to import certain goods into a country without having to engage in the Customs formalities usually required for the importation of goods, and without having to pay duty or value-added taxes on the goods.

Carnets are a security that participating countries accept as a guarantee against the payment of Customs duties that may become due on goods temporarily imported under a carnet and not exported as required.

Why use an ATA Carnet?

The ATA carnet simplifies the Customs formalities involved in temporarily importing goods into the U.S. and other countries. Without a carnet, it would be necessary to go through the Customs procedures established in each country for the temporary admission of goods. The carnet allows the business traveler to use a single document for clearing certain categories of goods through Customs in several different countries. It may be used for unlimited exits from and entries into the U.S. and participating foreign countries during the one-year period of validity. They are accepted as the entry document and satisfy the importer's obligation to post a security in more than 87 countries.

For how long is an ATA Carnet valid?

An ATA carnet is valid for one year from the date of its issuance. Merchandise listed on an ATA carnet can be imported to and exported from any of the member countries as many times as needed during the one-year life of the carnet.

Who issues ATA Carnets?

Domestic associations in participating countries that are members of the International Bureau of Chambers of Commerce issue carnets to residents to be used abroad. The United States Council for International Business (USCIB) has been designated by the U.S. Customs Service as the United States issuing and guaranteeing organization. A fee is charged by the Council for its service. The guaranteeing organization is held liable for the payment of liquidated damages if the carnet holder, such as the importer, fails to comply with Customs regulations.

What kinds of products are covered by carnets?

• Virtually all goods, including commercial samples, professional equipment, and items for tradeshows and exhibitions, including display booths
• Ordinary goods such as computers, tools, cameras and video equipment, industrial machinery, automobiles, gems and jewelry, and wearing apparel
• Extraordinary items, for example, Van Gogh Self-portrait, Ringling Brothers tigers, Cessna jets, Paul McCartney's band instruments, WorldCup class yachts, satellites, etc.

*Carnets DO NOT cover: consumable or disposable goods (e.g., food and agriculture products) giveaways, or postal traffic 

What happens if goods are not exported?

If the holder of an ATA carnet sells, donates or otherwise disposes of any of the goods listed on the carnet, the issuing organization will be required to pay liquidated damages equal to 100 percent of the import duties and taxes. That organization in turn will attempt to collect these moneys from the holder of the carnet who violated the terms. In some cases, the country where the violation occurred will hold both the organization that issued the carnet and the importer equally responsible. The importer is liable to his/her issuing association (and, in some cases, to the Customs authorities of the country where this transpired) for all duties and/or taxes and other sums which would normally be charged on the importation of such goods, as well as the amount charged as liquidated damages.

What is contained in an ATA Carnet document?

The carnet document has a green cover page which provides the names of the carnet holder and issuing association, the carnet issue date, the carnet number, the countries in which the carnet may be used and a complete description of the goods covered. Two yellow sheets in the package are to be used upon exportation from and reimportation back into the issuing country. White sheets are used for the temporary importation into and reexportation from the second or additional countries. Blue sheets are used when transiting though countries.

Each sheet contains two parts – a counterfoil, which remains in the carnet and describes the actions taken by Customs officers each time goods enter or leave a country, and a detachable voucher, which contains a list of the goods covered by the carnet and serves as the required Customs document.

Which countries use the ATA Carnet?

The listed countries are Contracting Parties to the ATA convention that established the ATA carnet system. The ATA system is periodically updated - Call the Council for International Business at 212-354-4480 to determine if the country to which you are traveling accepts carnets. The United States acceded to the ATA Convention on December 3, 1968 and began issuing ATA carnets in late 1969.

Algeria	Andorra	Antarctica	Aruba
Australia	Austria*	Balearic Islands	Belarus
Belgium*	Botswana	Bulgaria*	Canada
Canary Islands	Ceuta	Chile	China
Corsica	Cote d'Ivoire	Croatia	Curacao
Cyprus	Czech Republic	Denmark*	Estonia*
European Union*	Finland	France	French Guiana
Guam	Germany*	Gibraltar	Guadeloupe
Guernsey	Greece	Hong Kong	Hungary
Iceland	India	Iran**	Ireland*
Isle of Man	Israel	Italy*	Japan
Jersey	Korea	Lebanon	Latvia*
Lesotho	Lichtenstein	Lithuania	Luxembourg
Macedonia	Malaysia	Malta*	Martinique
Mauritius	Mayotte	Melilla	Miquelon
Monaco	Mongolia	Montenegro	Morocco
Namibia	Netherlands*	New Caledonia	New Zealand
Norway	Pakistan	Poland*	Portugal*
Puerto Rico	Reunion Island	Romania*	Russia
Saipan	Senegal	Serbia	Singapore
Slovakia*	Slovenia*	South Africa	Spain*
Sri Lanka	St. Barthelemy	St. Martin	St. Pierre
Swaziland	Sweden*	Switzerland	Tahiti
Taiwan***	Tasmania	Thailand	Tunisia
Turkey	United Kingdom*	Ukraine	United States

* Country is part of the European Union (EU). If goods are properly imported into one EU country and re-exported from a second EU country, the Carnet holder is unlikely to encounter any claims fees.

** Iran is accepting carnets however US restrictions do not allow a US-issued a carnet for Iran.

*** Taiwan requires a separate carnet called a TECRO.

What are the fees and processing times associated with an ATA Carnet?

There are three basic components to the Carnet application process: 

1. General list
2. Carnet application
3. Security deposit

The online registration and application form for the ATA carnet is available from USCIB's website here.

Basic processing fees are determined by the value of a shipment.  Fees range from $200-$330 and the normal processing time is two working days, if the application and security deposit are received by 4:00pm ET. Applications received after 4:00pm will be processed the following business day or will incur an expedited service fee.

Payment can be made in the form of a check, money order, or credit card (up to $1000 on Visa, AmEx, Mastercard).

As the National Guaranteeing Association, USCIB is required to take a security, usually 40% of shipment value, to cover any customs claim that might result from a misused Carnet.  Acceptable forms of security are certified check or surety bond. Cash deposits are returned in full and surety bonds are terminated upon Carnet cancellation.

Where may I find additional information on ATA Carnets?

The U.S. Department of Commerce offers additional information on their website by clicking here.  The United States Council for International Business (USCIB) should be contacted for further details concerning the issuance of ATA carnets.  USCIB is located at 1212 Avenue of the Americans, New York, New York 10036-1689, telephone (212) 354-4480, fax (212) 944-0012. The online registration and application form for the ATA carnet is available from USCIB's website here.

Other questions may be referred to the U.S. Customs Service, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20229. Attn: Office of Trade Programs, (202) 927-0300.